A massive Ukrainian drone attack at Russia’s Ust-Luga oil export terminal in the Baltic Sea has sparked a fire at the site as Ukraine continues to target Russian refineries and energy export infrastructure.
Following a drone attack overnight, the Ust-Luga port sustained damage, and a fire broke out, Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region where the port is located, said on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.
Later, he added that the fire had been extinguished and that there were no casualties. Russia shot down 52 drones during the overnight attack, and regional authorities are currently assessing damages, the governor added.
Ust-Luga, the top Russian port for exports of oil and other commodities from the Baltic Sea, has been targeted multiple times by Ukraine, which has intensified its campaign to cripple domestic fuel supply in Russia and Moscow’s export revenues by hitting refineries and oil export infrastructure.
Most recently, facilities at Ust-Luga were on fire less than three weeks ago, when the Baltic port was damaged by Ukrainian drones.
The Ust-Luga port loads crude oil, fuels, coal, fertilizers, and grain and is the key export outlet for Russia out of the Baltic Sea area.
The site also hosts a refinery operated by Novatek.
Some of the previous attacks at Ust-Luga, which have been dozens since the war began in 2022, have halted shipments and loadings of commodities at the export port.
It was not immediately clear how extensive the damage from the latest attack is, but it is clear that Ukraine perseveres with its strategy to damage key energy infrastructure in Russia to cut off fuel supply to the front lines and diminish the Kremlin’s oil export revenues.
Ukrainian strikes at Russian refineries, including deep into Russia’s territory, have created a fuel crisis in Russia, which has just extended its ban on diesel exports to the end of September, further tightening the global middle distillate market.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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